


(Day 8) Chip

by mydwynter



Series: January Sherlock Vignette Challenge [8]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magical Realism, Homing Universe, January Sherlock Vignette Challenge, Lestrade the Counsellor, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-09
Updated: 2013-01-09
Packaged: 2017-11-24 06:21:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/631391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mydwynter/pseuds/mydwynter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"Is that…" Lestrade looked down with astonishment at the small aquamarine bead in the palm of Sherlock's hand. It was so new dust from the drill still clung to the side; he'd had it taken off his homing stone just that afternoon. "Is that your chip?" He stared at Sherlock, jaw agape.</i>
</p><p>Sherlock puts up with Lestrade's idiocy so he can get a little advice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	(Day 8) Chip

**Author's Note:**

> My mind rebels in stagnation. So every day for the month of January I'm posting a Sherlock vignette, born out of prompts from generators and friends alike, little pieces written quickly and posted, sketches made from words.
> 
> Today's prompt from [Moonblossom's Sherlock prompt generator:](http://moonblossom.net/prompter/) Sherlock, Lestrade, Magical Realism, Angelo's, "beer". Thank you to the delightful Mazarin221B for the beta.
> 
> This vignette is in the same 'verse as [(Day 4) Homing](http://archiveofourown.org/works/624784), and probably won't make much sense unless you read that one first.

"Is that…" Lestrade looked down with astonishment at the small aquamarine bead in the palm of Sherlock's hand. It was so new dust from the drill still clung to the side; he'd had it taken off his homing stone just that afternoon. "Is that your chip?" He stared at Sherlock, jaw agape.

Two spots of pink appeared on Sherlock's cheeks and he looked away. "Don't be an idiot, Lestrade, of course it is."

"For _John_?!"

Sherlock avoided eye contact, staring instead across the room, but at this his jaw tightened and he started to stand up. "If you're just going to make fun—"

"No. No, sorry. Sit. Please." Lestrade laid a placating hand on Sherlock's sleeve. "Sorry, it's just…I'm surprised."

Finally, Sherlock looked at him, focusing intently. His brow furrowed in confusion. "Surprised? Why?"

Lestrade gave him a rueful, lopsided smile. "I just figured if you were going to get chipped with John, you'd have done it ages ago. Didn't figure you were the sort."

"Well. I wasn't." Sherlock stared at the tablecloth. Angelo's had gotten a new batch of tablecloths within the last two weeks. These were an inferior brand. He was going to have to replace them in five months. What a waste of money.

"Sherlock? Sherlock. I said, what made you change your mind about the practise?" Lestrade was asking persistently, like a bee buzzing at a flower. He sipped at his ale with an annoyingly-sincere expression on his stupid face.

Sherlock blinked at him then looked away, the pink on his cheeks renewed. "You know what."

Lestrade obviously was stifling a shit-eating grin. "You met John and fell in love."

Sherlock chewed on the inside of his lower lip, himself stifling an urge to knock Lestrade in the side of the head. "Yes yes, fine."

"So. Er, not that I'm not flattered to be told, but…shouldn't you be here with John? This place is special to you two."

"I will. I am. Just…" Sherlock's stomach clenched. "Getting chipped is…supposed to be romantic. You people like that sort of thing. And I…" He swallowed hard, looking away. "I don't know what to do." Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Lestrade giving him a soppy look, but he ignored it. "I don't know if I should go with traditional and go down on one knee, I don't know if I should make a big deal of it in public. I thought about preparing a speech about the history of chipping and the relative dangers and benefits of having homing stones for each other, especially with the work, and I thought…"

"Sherlock," Lestrade interrupted. "Are you asking me what to do?"

"I'm asking for your _advice_ , yes." It was immediately clear to Sherlock that even his exasperation was sounding an awful lot like desperation.

Lestrade settled back into his chair and crossed his arms. Ah, yes. There's the shit-eating grin. "I can't believe you're getting chipped. What's next, full-on marriage?"

"If you don't stop I'll leave."

"You need me," Lestrade said, pointing. He leaned forward and finished his ale. "Same again." He pushed the empty glass toward Sherlock, who made the appropriate gestures to a member of the waitstaff and then sat back in his chair with his arms crossed, mirroring Lestrade.

"So?" Sherlock prompted.

"What?"

Sherlock growled in frustration. "You're being insufferable on purpose."

" _Absolutely_. Listen, Sherlock. John loves you. He knows you very well. If you do it the way you want, he'll be happy no matter how you choose. If my experience is any indication, however, you're going to want to do it in private."

"Why?" Sherlock said, head tilted in bewilderment.

"Because you're going to want to shag each others’ brains out immediately." The grin was back. Lestrade lifted up his new pint in a toast.

Sherlock rolled his eyes.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[ Day Eight ] Aid](https://archiveofourown.org/works/631436) by [MacBean](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MacBean/pseuds/MacBean)




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